The Shrugged Strength Challenge is now a part of the Program Vault.
If you join the Program Vault you'll have access to this program as well as 10+ others as a part of your membership.  So look over the Shrugged Strength Challenge below and then click a "Join the SSC inside the Program Vault" button to get started!  See you on the inside!  -Doug, Mike and Anders

 

START BY WATCHING THE VIDEO BELOW

Watch this short video below to learn exactly how the program works, what you get, and how to get started.

READY TO GET STARTED?
or continue below to learn more
The goal of the Shrugged Strength Challenge is to help you GET STRONGER & add 50 pounds to your squat, while IMPROVING YOUR CONDITIONING to drop your "Helen" time by 3 minutes, and improve your overhead movement & mobility.

Now that might seem like a tall order, but it's already happening with our Shrugged Strength Challenge athletes.  We've seen it! In just 3 months of training our athletes have  dropped their "Helen" times by 2:30 on average! They've also increased their overall strength (with many adding 20-50+ pounds to their squat, clean, jerk, and snatch) while improving their mobility at the same time!

So whether you've been training for a while or just starting your strength & conditioning journey, we're up for the challenge of helping you achieve similar results!


Following this program and sticking with it will help you with more than the things listed above.  Those are just big, measurable goals to give you something to aim for.  Other goals we have for this program include building a fun as shit, tight-knit online community for you to become a part of, providing you accountability, and helping you with all the things you're going to have to master that go on outside of the gym.


We've been running online training programs since 2012 and we've learned a lot over that time.  We're taking what we know works and cranking it to 11.

This program is going to be hard work.  We like to say this program is for those who want to "TRAIN, not exercise."  

And what that means is... we're not just going into the gym to break a sweat and get some exercise in.  We're going in with a plan, and we're going to work our ass off and stay committed through hell or high water to reach that goal.  To earn it.
We won't be merely going into the garage or gym to "break a sweat".
 
We're going to TRAIN hard with the goal of increasing strength to become a better athlete. And we're going to go about it so that we don't get out of shape and fluffy in the process.

We want you to look good. I'm sure you won't argue.
 
We want you to keep your engine, and even improve it.
 
You can get strong as shit just lifting. We're not saying that doesn't work. Of course it does. But this program is for those of us who don't want to suck wind just trying to do an easy metcon.

This is for those who still want be able to throw down on workouts like Helen, Fran, Murph, Grace, etc.. and do them faster than you have before.

The Shrugged Strength Challenge is more than just workouts.

The difference between this program and many others out there is this is not just daily workouts.

We don't ever JUST give workouts. Workouts are important, but we believe there has to be more.

That's we provide all the necessary things that athletes need to make continuous progress and smash goals.

We provide the coaching, guidance, accountability, community, measurement of progress to ensure maximum results.

We provide the guidance and education on how build and keep those gains in the gym by showing you how to eat, recover, mobilize, and deal with the stresses of life.

It's these things  many other programs DON'T offer and completely miss the mark.

We've gotten folks stonger and improved their conditioning with a comprehensive PROGRAM. We have the proof.

And this program is for those who want to get way stronger, move better and still want be able to throw down on workouts like Helen, Fran, Murph, Grace, etc.. and do them faster than you have before.

You game?
Don't know how to balance getting stronger and staying conditioned?

We got you pimp!
Don't have time to train multiple sessions for hours each day?

We got your ass too!
Don't have someone to hold you accountable and keep you on track?

For the love of cheese, let us forking help you!

HOW LONG IS THE PROGRAM & WHAT DAYS WILL I BE TRAINING?
 
This is a 1 year (52 week) program spread over 13 four week mesocycles (mesos).

Each week has 5 training days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Rest days will be: Wednesday and Sunday.

Workouts on training days will typically take 60-90 minutes to complete.

There is a prescribed warm-up routine for each training day, but is optional.

Click here to see a sample week of the program.

 

We're going to slow you down, and make you grind through hard tempo lifts to get your movement game on point. You may just re-learn how to squat here. There's a lot of aerobic work, so even if you haven't been conditioning, you'll build a pretty solid base during this meso. 

You'll be moving a bit faster than last meso in your lifts, and doing some more complex movements as well. You'll be glad about the aerobic work from meso one as we push up the intensity just a bit more during meso two. 
 
It's time to go hard. You've got a great base, so look for shorter tempos and heavier weights, peaking to find maxes as well your aerobic threshold. i.e.- Heavy Shit. This is meso will be double fun.

Going to take it down a notch here, going back to increasing time under tension to further build your base in terms of movement quality and aerobic capacity.  Think of it as making your feet bigger so you can kick more square miles of ass. 

Now that your base is even bigger, we're going to throw the volume at you. You'll even get to sample the spicy meatball that we all know as anaerobic work. 

Awww sheeeeit- time to peak the squat (as well as your instagram squat video output).  You'll also train for anaerobic and aerobic testing.  

You're stronger now, and prepped for more. Time to use it to be under heavier loads more often. Pretty much every lifter's favorite meso. Lower intensity-a lot more picking up heavy things and putting them down. 

Curls for the girls? In this meso, you'll do bodybuilding for the upper body, combined with density and speed work for your lower body to allow for more volume while still rocking your nervous system. 

The calm before the storm starts here. We're going to taper you into TESTING TIME. We're going to have to get our instagrams fired up all over again when we test our squat- and then find our new "Helen" times. You should be at your best scores of the year here. Get a partner to slap your traps and hammies, and get under the bar!

Here we are starting our last "get yoked" cycle of the year, which will run through this meso and the next so you'll be jacked and tan to round out the year.  Buckle in.

Continuing to get jacked, we are going blend hypertrophy and speed work to create a delicious, satisfying blend that will prep us for our final peak of the year. 

Why am I coughing? And why does it taste like pennies? Anaerobic work will be at its highest level yet during meso twelve.   

PEAK EVERYTHING
Hide yo kids, hide yo' wife, they peaking errythang out here! Everyone is going to want to slide up in your DM's as you cruise past all of your past PR's. Welcome to you v2.0.
WHAT OUR ATHLETES ARE SAYING ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Don Davis

Why did you join the Shrugged Strength Challenge Program? What problem did you have that you needed help solving?

I joined because I have been doing my own programming for years, and felt the need to have a dispassionate 3rd party tell me what to do, and not put up with my complaining.  I had a desire to train, not just exercise, and see some real gains.

How is the Shrugged Strength Challenge helping you solve that problem?

I love knowing what I have to get done on that particular day, and just doing it.  The programming is varied but focused on specific areas to train up.  I also love seeing improvements, and when you are improving, you are motivated to keep at it.

What specific results have you gotten from participating in the Shrugged Strength Challenge so far?


These results are from Meso 2.  My Helen time went from 11:37 to 9:07.  Every week, I am getting stronger, adding significantly to the weight from one week to the next. 
Here's where I am right now:
Front Squat - 185 to 255
Back squat - 250 - 315
On the push press, I went from 6 reps at 120 on day 37 to 4 reps at 155 on day 51.

 
Emily Johnson

Why did you join the Shrugged Strength Challenge Program? What problem did you have that you needed help solving?


I joined to have a new challenge and a program that helped keep me accountable and continue to challenge me and progress me while working on my weaknesses.

How is the Shrugged Strength Challenge helping you solve that problem?

I have been significantly more dedicated to my workouts and seeing progress with my strength and lifts.

What specific results have you gotten from participating in the Shrugged Strength Challenge so far?

Improved my clean + FS to 145 from 125. lots of other improvements- heavy squats for multiples (185, 195) and more consistent snatches.
Front squat 185 to 215
Back squat 235 to 255

 Helen I've improved from 16:20 to 14:36, but mostly it just flows a lot better, I'm able to string more of the pull-ups together and feel fresher when I'm running.
 
Halle Browne

Why did you join the Shrugged Strength Challenge Program? What problem did you have that you needed help solving?


I joined the SSC because I did not have a coach nor was I following any specific program. With my overall strength seemingly at a stand-still and no goals in line with my priorities in the gym I was looking to structure my programming again, and that’s when I reached out to Shereen who told me about the best thing that’s ever happened to my quads.

How is the Shrugged Strength Challenge helping you solve that problem?

The SSC rebuilt me from the ground up making my stabilizing muscles bullet-proof by using slow and controlled movements under load. It forced me to fail attempts, and to be honest with myself. It forced me to unload the bar and to go lighter than I wanted to using better technique my next attempts because strength takes patience.

What specific results have you gotten from participating in the Shrugged Strength Challenge so far?

Since beginning the Shrugged Strength Challenge I have improved my back squat by 20 lbs from 165 lbs to 185 lbs, I have improved my front squat by 15 lbs from 145 lbs to 160 lbs. Not only have my power lifts improved, but I have also gained more stability and overall strength. My initial single arm dumbbell press at 40% of my strict press increased from 3 on my left side and 4 side on my right to 9 on each side within 3 mesos. By meso 2 I improved my Helen time by more than two minutes finishing at 11:34, leaving no doubt in my mind that this programming works if you are willing to put in the work.


 
Kelley Josten

Why did you join the Shrugged Strength Challenge Program? What problem did you have that you needed help solving?


I joined because of my past experiences with Barbell Shrugged programs. I wanted to make sure that my training was consistent and focused on all of the elements that tend to fall to the wayside when training by yourself.

How is the Shrugged Strength Challenge helping you solve that problem?

The program has given me a consistent plan and training model, which makes me concentrate on the elements that I have put to the wayside.

What specific results have you gotten from participating in the Shrugged Strength Challenge so far?

My Helen time dropped from 9:38 to 8:21 in the first month. Back squat: 385 to 420
WHAT YOU GET
Meso Overviews
 

Video overview to give you the “why” behind what you’re doing and how you can expect to feel during the meso.
Downloadable PDF Workout Log Sheets

Conveniently download and print off log sheets to take to the gym and track your workouts.
Progress Testing
 

Monthly testing to make sure you’re making progress in the program.
Monthly Habits

We ain't just trying to help you become a better athlete, we trying to help you become better at LIFE! Get habits to help you improve your performance, health, lifestyle, nutrition & etc.
Private Facebook Group

Where all the fun, motvation and coaching happens. From our experience from running our other programs, the people who make the most progress and have the best experience are those that participate regularly in the Program Vault Facebook Group.
Membership Site Access

Our new, crispy-clean, & mobile friendly site to conveniently track your progress through the program  access all the content you’ll receive as a member of the Shrugged Strength Challenge.
PLUS THESE FREE BONUSES
Nutrition for Weightlifters ($197 value)
Learn how to create and build an effective nutrition strategy for true strength and improved performance.


Monthly Access to Overtime Plus ($49/month value, $588 total over 12 months)
Get access to more Shrugged knowledge covering weightlifting technique, gymnastics, recovery, nutrition and etc in our Overtime video site plus supplemental programs to help you get better at pull-ups, improve your aerobic capacity, your anaerobic threshold and more.

Shrugged Eats Nutrition Package ($197 value)
Nutrition Guide: a super easy-to-read PDF guide on how to eat to cut, gain, or maintain, how to count macros, how to read food labels, how weigh and measure food and etc. For those who want something simple and just want to be told what to do.
 
Shrugged Eats Recipes: recipes from the Shrugged team that you can make in bulk and are taste delicious as hell.

Macro & Meal Planner: Cut body fat while getting stronger, gain muscle or optimize your nutrition for peak performance. This tool allows you to easily figure out how your macros for each meal of a rest day or training day if you want  gain muscle mass, drop body fat or maintain your current size. You just put in your body weight and it auto calculates how much you need to eat. All the guess work is taken out for you. 

Almost $1000 IN BONUS VALUE!!!

JOIN US NOW
GUARANTEE

If for any reason you're not super-thrilled with the program, within 30 days you can return it to us for a FULL REFUND of your 1st payment.

So in other words: You ALWAYS have 30 days to try the program risk free!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 
How long is the program?
The base program runs 1 year (52 weeks) over the course of 13 4-week mesocycles. After 52 weeks, the program will continue on a monthly basis with new mesos delivered monthly. You are committed to the program for the number months you committed to once you pass the 30 day money-back period.


How often will I be billed?
You will be billed on a monthly basis. After you've completed your commitment, your subscription will auto-bill monthly until you cancel.


How do the monthly check-ins work?
Each mesocycle (on the 20th day of each meso), you’ll get a notice to fill out a check in questionnaire about your performance and training for the previous meso. You’ll need to complete this questionnaire before the 27th day to get your programming for the next meso. So if you don’t fill out the form, you won’t move on and you’ll be behind. Once you’ve filled out the check-in, your coach will be notified and respond back to you with comments via email.


What happens after I've met my commitment?
After you've completed your commitment, you can continue to do the program or you can cancel your subscription. If you choose to continue, your subscription will auto-bill on a month to month basis, cancel anytime. If you'd like to cancel, you only need to send us an email requesting to cancel. We ask that you give us 15 days advance notice to cancel.

In any case, you’ll get to keep access to the program materials you got during your enrollment and the membership site for up to 1 year after the date of your last payment.

Example: If you’ve signed up to do a 9 month commitment, you’ll continue to get the program on a monthly basis until you email us. If you cancel at 9 months, you’ll get to keep all the materials that you got during your 9 month stay in the program.

When does the program start?
Day 1 of the program is on June 12th, 2017. You'll get the first meso on June 10th, 2017 so you have the weekend to look everything over and ask questions before Monday.



 
When will I receive my bonuses?
Immediately after sign-up you'll get several "right away" bonuses:

- Barbell Shrugged Overtime - All of our video content and short-term (3 months or less) supplemental or stand-alone programs in Overtime including: Aerobic Monster, Anaerobic Assault, Your First Pull-up and more.

- Nutrition for Weightlifters - a nutrition course to help you understand good nutrition practices, how much to eat, what to eat, when to eat, for strength training athletes.

- Movement Specific Mobility for Squats & Deadlifts - Learn how to address your specific mobility restrictions for the back squat, front squat, overhead squat, deadlift and sumo deadlift. A must for this program as we will be doing all these movements!

The rest of the bonuses (videos, guides, and other tools) will be distributed throughout the program.


 
When will I receive my program materials?
You'll get access to the member site as soon as you sign up. A few days before Day 1 of the program, there will be a few days of pre-program prep homework like knocking out your initial testing.

Then the workouts will be delivered on monthly basis. You'll get a reminder email each week just to make sure you're on track with the workouts. Habit videos will be delivered monthly and other bonus content will be delivered throughout the program. You're basically going to get something new every month!

What days will I be training?
That's mostly up to you but we have training days written for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Our prescribed rest days are Wednesday and Sunday.
Can I train on different days?
For sure! The workout days listed on the program are just what we prescribe. As long as you are spacing out your rest days (not doing two consecutive rest days) and staying on track for check-ins you can certainly adjust your training days

Can I split the workout into two sessions per day?
Yes! If the workouts are taking too much time for you to complete them in a single session or you feel that you perform better by splitting them up and you have the time to do that, feel free to split them up. We still recommend doing the strength portion of the workout before the conditioning.


Can I do other programs or training while doing the Challenge?
You can but we won''t recommend it. This program is meant to stand on it's own and be all you need to increase strength while improving conditioning. If you have other goals that conflict and/or want to do other programming to support those goals, we're not gonna say you can't do it. You're a grown ass person! But we won't be modifying our program to fit your other program. We want you to buckle down and do this thing! If that's something you can't jive with, maybe this program isn't for you at this time.



Can you show me what the programming looks like so I can get an idea if this is right for me?

Sure thing. Here's the first week of the first month of the Shrugged Strength Challenge program. Click here to see the first week.

 
What kind of equipment do I need?
If you train at a CrossFit-type gym you'll most likely have all the equipment you need.

Here's a list of equipment we recommend:
Barbell
Weights
Rings
Parallel Bars (Bar Dips) - Can use boxes for dips
Pull Up Bar
Sled to Push and Pull (plate pushes will work)Farmer’s Handles (optional- KB’s can be used)
Rope to Climb (towel pull ups can be subbed)
 Jump Rope
Assault Bike or Rower (running will work)
Dumbbells for Pressing or Single Arm Pulling (barbells can be subbed out)

Optional Nice to Haves:
Farmer’s Handles (KB’s can be used)
Yoke Carry (can use barbell)

If you start the program and you come across a movement you don't have the equipment for, don't worry, just ask one of the coaches and we'll be happy to help you find a substitute movement. That's what they're there for!


Will there be a lot of Olympic lifting in the program?
There won't be a ton of Olympic Weightlifting early on, we want to build strength and stability big time. You will see some but, but this is a strength-biased program, not so much weightlifting. We have other programs that emphasize the Olympic lifts.

What if I get hurt?
Email your coach ASAP and let them know you've been injured! Your coach will follow-up and try to help as much as he/she can.

We aren't doctors so we can't give medical advice, but we may be able to help you substitute some movements.

You can also pause your subscription for up to 2 months if you're injured. Email support at help@barbellshrugged.com to pause your subscription.


Can I do my gym's programming (class WODs) sometimes?
Totally! We understand doing the class WODs are fun since you're getting to train with your friends. You'll get the best results sticking to the program as written, but if you want to hop in a class WOD every now and then go for it. You may be able to just substitute the conditioning portion of the Challenge training for the group class.

Just make sure you're smart about it and not doing some high intensity/high volume Hero WOD the day before you're supposed to max out your squat or something.

Also feel free to grab a friend to do some Challenge workouts with you. We don't mind at all. If anything, having a friend go through the program with you will just help keep you more motivated and accountable.



What if I get behind?
Sometimes you miss a workout and that's unavoidable. Don’t worry about making it up or doubling up the workouts on a single day, just skip it and pick up the program where it currently is.

If you missed a lot workouts for an extended period (more than a month), then it may be worth going back and picking up the program where you left off. All your materials will still be on the member site to access should you get behind.

If you are ever unsure on what to do to, feel free to contact your coach. He/she will be glad to advise you on how to proceed after an extended lapse in training.


How will I know how to perform an exercise?
We provide movement demos for all exercises showing you exactly how we want them performed and scaling options for the more high-skill movements.

We also have a huge library of TechniqueWODs to walk you through how to perform many movements we commonly program.

We'll also be able to coach you how to perform a movement and give you feedback if you post a video to the Facebook group.


 
How can I contact my coach?
You can email your coach directly or reach out in the Facebook group.

Please avoid sending direct messages on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and etc. We can’t guarantee these messages will be checked.

If you want more personal communication, calls & text messages, we offer that as a separate service.

Do I need to have a Facebook account to get coaching?
The Facebook Group is where you’ll get coaching on your lifts. So yes if you would like to receive feedback and coaching on your lifts you will need to make a Facebook account.

If you’re not ok with putting your identity on Facebook you can make a “fake name” account. Just make sure to let us know that’s you so we can add you to the group.

Can I email my coach to get a private review of my lifts?
We really discourage this. The reason being that the Facebook group’s purpose is to build community and group learning within the program.More than likely, someone else in the group is having the same difficulties you may be having. Feedback given may benefit not only you but maybe someone else in the group. So don’t be embarrassed or shy!

If you do email videos to a coach, it is up to the coach whether they will be reviewed and the coach may ask you to post the video in the group.
Michael Diaz
Back squat was 355, now 375. Front Squat was 275, now 305. Improved "Helen" from
12:12 to 9:40
Though we are internet training partners this has been the best group of training people I have ever been with.
Mary Quigley
Hit a 10lb lifetime PR  at 270 on back squat after being injured & improved "Helen" from 13:44 to 11:32
I've been bragging about this program to anyone who will listen! Seriously has been game changing for me in so many ways.
Joan Vidiella
Front Squat from 225 to 275. Back squat from 300 to 320. Improved "Helen" from 13:33 to 11:10.
I liked the coaching, accountability, and the fact that the programs are so varied yet they target very specific areas of development. My max strict pull ups went from 6-7 to around 10.
[bot_catcher]